Sunday, March 17, 2013

I've also started plans for the new downstairs bathroom. I've always thought my biggest challange for both bathrooms would be to find a unique and interesting solution for the sink. I've always envisioned something old paired with something modern.

I'd pair it with a modern rectangular vessel mounted on the top. I'm not a huge fan of the bowl vessel sinks; they just seem a little precious. This nice chunky one that would allow you to wash your face without losing half the water onto the counter.

This is one of Darby Road's custom pieces. I like the idea of cabinet doors better than a piece that has drawers. You could get a shelf or two inside without having to deal with shortening the drawers.

It's got some nice details and can be painted in any color so it

could fit in to almost any design scheme.

I love the corner detail on this chest. Really different hardware too.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

I recently came across a collection of antique maps and couldn't resist

bringing some of them home.

There was quite a large collection that included locations all over the United States

but I pulled out as many Massachusetts towns as I could find, especially cities

and villages along the ocean.

I would assume each map was a page in a large book but each one

has been cut into perfect rectangles and mounted on cotton so they can

fold into a little booklet. Many of them are signed "F.H. Silsbee, Lawrence, Mass."

and a few are dated 1899. I googled F.H. Silsbee and found he was a graduate

of MIT and a member of the New England Cotton Manufacturer's Association

You can see faintly on the back of the Falmouth, Mass. map the text on the back

that reads "Desription of Topographic Map of the United States."

Let me show you a few.

Beverly and Salem, Mass.

Plymouth, Mass.

Yarmouth, Mass.

And I love that some of the maps

of seaside towns are mainly open water leaving an irregular edge

that make abstract shapes.

Provincetown, Mass.

Truro and Wellfleet, Mass.

The maps have a very soft red, white, blue and black color palette

that would fit very easily in almost room.

Fall River, Mass.

(Of Lizzie Bordon fame.)

Since each map has a grid of nine panes, I think they would look great framed

and hung in a grid of nine.

A project that would certainly drive me crazy

getting hung perfectly.

* BY REQUEST *

For present and former Salem residents, historians, witches and warlocks, I'm adding an enlarged image of the Salem map. It's too bad there's not more detail but I'm sure some of you (Donna Seger) will see some things that have changed.

(It seems it won't enlarge when you click so I'm making it as large as possible.)

About Me

Guys like nice houses, too!
While out on a walk in my Boston area neighborhood, I came across an 1842 Greek Revival cottage for sale. I immediately fell in love with the possibilities. Join me on my journey of imagining all the possibilities while I renovate and furnish my cottage in the city.